Yak

Yak, wild or domesticated Tibetan ox native to the high plateaux and mountains of Central Asia, where the climate is cold and dry. The wild yak, considered to be an endangered species, is a massive animal, blanketed with a thick coat of long, blackish-brown hair. The males, which are larger than the females, may be more than 2 m (6.6 ft) high at the shoulder and weigh up to 1,000 kg (2,200 lb). The back of the yak is humped at the shoulders. The horns are long and spread outward and upwards, and the tail is long-haired and bushy.

The domestic yak is of various colours, including red, brown, black, and white, and of smaller size than the wild animal as a result of cross-breeding with cattle. Yaks are valuable as beasts of burden. Their milk is rich and yields excellent butter and curd, and the flesh, eaten roasted or dried, is of high quality. The hair is spun into rope and woven into cloth, and the hide is used for leather. Instead of lowing like an ox, the yak utters a low, guttural sound; hence it is called the grunting cow, or grunting ox.

Scientific classification: The yak belongs to the family Bovidae of the order Artiodactyla. It is classified as Bos grunniens.